A picosecond spectrometer has been developed. Single pulses 6 ps in duration are obtained from a neodymium laser at wavelengths of 530 nm and 1.06 u. Simultaneous generation of a white light continuum provides a synchronous monitor source. A vidicon detector has been fully characterized in the pulsed mode of illumination and a technique developed to significantly improve the linearity of response available from a vidicon.